So first of all, what is a Tasmanian devil?

So this Tasmanian devil cancer is perhaps the ultimate cancer.

My personal aim is to defeat the Tasmanian devil cancer.

And the answer came from studying the Tasmanian devil cancer's DNA.

But the Tasmanian devil population has been undergoing a really extremely fast decline.

The Tasmanian devil got its name from the terrifying nocturnal scream that it makes.

He's a Tasmanian devil that we found with a large tumor on his face.

But that is where the Tasmanian devil cancer has acquired an absolutely amazing evolutionary adaptation.

Let's prevent the Tasmanian devil from being the first animal to go extinct from cancer.

Well the next breakthrough came from studying hundreds of Tasmanian devil cancers from all around Tasmania.

Scientists around the world were intrigued by this cancer, this infectious cancer, that was spreading through the Tasmanian devil population.

And just as the Tasmanian devil cancer is contagious through the spread of living cancer cells, so is this dog cancer.

But not many people know that there actually is a real animal called the Tasmanian devil, and it's the world's largest carnivorous marsupial.

In fact, growing up in Tasmania, it always was incredibly exciting when we got a chance to see a Tasmanian devil in the wild.

The story begins in 1996 when a wildlife photographer took this photograph here of a Tasmanian devil with a large tumor on its face.

In fact, in the area where she comes from, more than 90 percent of the Tasmanian devil population has already died of this disease.

That means that all of these cancers actually are the same cancer that arose once from one individual devil, that have broken free of that first devil's body and spread through the entire Tasmanian devil population.

The Tasmanian devil has shown us that, not only can cancer be a contagious disease, but it can also threaten an entire species with extinction.

The Tasmanian devil is found only on the island of Tasmania, which is that small island just to the south of the mainland of Australia.

The Tasmanian devil is predominantly a scavenger, and it uses its powerful jaws and its sharp teeth to chomp on the bones of rotting dead animals.

In fact, more genetic profiling told us that this tumor in Jonas actually probably first arose from the cells of a female Tasmanian devil and Jonas was clearly a male.

And despite their ferocious appearance, Tasmanian devils are actually quite adorable little animals.

And yet, she was feeding three little baby Tasmanian devils in her pouch.

These are Tasmanian tigers. The last known one died at the Hobart Zoo.

What is killing the Tasmanian devil? A virulent cancer is infecting them by the thousands and unlike most cancers, it's contagious. Researcher Elizabeth Murchison tells us how she's fighting to save the Taz, and what she's learning about all cancers from this unusual strain. Contains disturbing images of facial cancer.

When the devil bites another devil, it actually physically implants living cancer cells into the next devil, so the tumor continues to grow.

This disease appears first as tumors, usually on the face or inside the mouth of affected Tasmanian devils.

But if this can happen in Tasmanian devils, why hasn't it happened in other animals or even humans?

O my father, do not worship the devil. The devil is disobedient to the Most Gracious.

O my father, do not worship the devil. The devil is disobedient to the Most Gracious.

O my father! Serve not the devil. Lo! the devil is a rebel unto the Beneficent.

O my father! Serve not the devil. Lo! the devil is a rebel unto the Beneficent.

That's the Devil speaking.

Impulsiveness is the devil.

He's a cheeky little devil.

You are the devil incarnate.

He that committeth sin is of the devil for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

He that committeth sin is of the devil for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

The devil promises them and arouses desires in them and the devil does not give them promises except of deceit.

O my father, do not be a bondman of the devil indeed the devil is disobedient towards the Most Gracious.

The devil promises them and arouses desires in them and the devil does not give them promises except of deceit.

O my father, do not be a bondman of the devil indeed the devil is disobedient towards the Most Gracious.

Don't ever argue with the Devil.